Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 26, 2018

Armed with newly-raised congressional skepticism about the legitimacy of a financing method used by the company, state Sen. Debbie Mayfield on Wednesday urged Gov. Rick Scott to pull Florida from the financing deal backing Brightline’s proposed private passenger railroad along the east coast. Scott’s office replied that it would review it. At issue is $1.75 billion […]

Scott PowersMarch 9, 2018

Saying that University of Central Florida Provost Dale Whittaker not only represents keeping the school on its trajectory but also is the best candidate, the school’s board of trustees unanimously voted Friday to nominate him as the next UCF president. Whittaker, provost and executive vice president at UCF for the past three and a half […]

Scott PowersFebruary 14, 2018

Orlando Police Chief John Mina has officially entered the race to run for sheriff, seeking to succeed his longtime partner in Orlando law enforcement Sheriff Jerry Demings, who is running for county mayor. Long expected to be a candidate, Mina filed his candidacy paperwork Wednesday morning with the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office. He […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 12, 2018

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We are currently having an important discussion in our state and nation about criminal justice reform. This discussion generally focuses two issues: the length of sentences for nonviolent criminal offenses and creating a criminal record (especially for juveniles) for what was essentially a stupid mistake. Some are using this important discussion to push more radical […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2018

On Thursday, Florida faith leaders pushed forth a single message: payday lending expansion bills currently under consideration in Tallahassee (HB 857 and SB 920) are usury and should be stopped. Both bills seek to authorize annual interest rates of up to 208 percent, via compounding interest, for larger loans and with longer terms than the payday loans currently allowed under Florida […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerFebruary 5, 2018

The Florida Constitution Revision Commission may wade into the state’s process for restoring voting rights of ex-felons, after a federal judge ruled the current clemency process is unconstitutional. Members of the commission’s Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously agreed Friday to explore ways to consider the issue, either through additional committee meetings or by amending a […]

Blake DowlingJanuary 13, 2018

Now that the 2018 Legislative Session is in full swing, lawmakers and lobbyists have taken over our great city. Last night, I bumped into a couple of lobbyists I know, who were hiding from the masses at Whole Foods. Which is genius. Whole Foods has it figured out, they have sports on by the deli, […]

Mitch PerryOctober 12, 2017

A report about an intense confrontation between Hillsborough County School board members April Griffin and Tamara Shamburger at a Florida School Board Association training event went viral Wednesday, prompting a potential political opponent of Griffin to describe it as “another April Griffin tantrum.” Kelso Tanner is a political consultant who is running for the District […]

Scott PowersSeptember 15, 2017

The lower Florida Keys were hammered in special ways by Hurricane Irma and remain closed to residents, visitors and even more volunteer cleanup workers as authorities try to get them livable, officials said Friday. An estimated 65 percent of the housing was damaged to the point of being uninhabitable, according to authorities, but residents will […]

Scott PowersSeptember 13, 2017

Electrical power restoration continued to be slow in hard-hit Lee and Collier counties yet most of Florida continued to struggle without electricity as 52 of 67 counties continue to have at least one in five homes and businesses still dark Wednesday morning. The latest electric outage numbers available from the state Office of Emergency Management, […]

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Debate party at Sports Grill Kendall. Image via AP.

Debbie Mayfield urges Rick Scott to ‘protect’ state from Brightline bond questions

UCF Provost Dale Whittaker picked as next president

Orlando Police Chief John Mina files to run for Orange County sheriff

Jeff Kottkamp: ‘Catch and release’ proposal for criminals a bad idea

Preachers oppose payday loan expansion

Constitution panel could look for clemency fix

Blake Dowling: Session, bitcoin and digital currency

April Griffin waves off Kelso Tanner’s comments

Florida Keys still closed; ‘different kind of lifestyle for a while’

Power update: Southwest Florida still without